Dinosaur Cats

I have been fostering animals for a few years now. I take in cats, dogs, the occasional smaller pet, and lately orphaned kittens. I try to get them healthy, socialized, and then we find homes for them.

Because I network with a few other Rescues in the area, I sometimes get a call or email from someone who has been told I might have the pet they are looking for. Since the person who gave my number to today's caller is not someone I've actually ever spoken with, I have no idea if the intention was to make my day or destroy it. In any case- here is a perfect example of why some people should not own pets:

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Me: Hello?

Dimwitted Caller: Hi, this is Dimwitted Caller? I got your name from blahdy blah Rescue?

yes- the interrogatory whi-i-i-ine....???

Me: What can I do for you?

DC: I'm looking for a Pterodactyl kitten? Preferably white? And it needs to be a boy because I already have a Pterodactyl girl and I want to breed them?

ah, yes, any good Rescue wants to give you a kitten to breed.

but, wait, WHAT did she ask for? PTERODACTYL? Like the flying dinosaur?

hee hee....

ahem...

Me: Pterodactyl?

DC: You know the ones that have extra toesies?

I swear to god, she called them toesies.

Me: You mean POLYdactyl?

DC: No, the kind with extra toes on their feet. There are some kinds of cats with extra toesies that are called Pterodactyls.

Me: Those are called Polydactyls, or sometimes Hemingways. I don't have any kittens right now, but to be honest, I don't sell unaltered cats for breeding anyway.

DC: I guess I'll have to look for a Pterodactyl somewhere else. I googled "Pterodactyl Cats", and I've asked a whole bunch of Rescues, but no one has any and I can't find a breeder... My Pterodactyl really is ready to be a mommy and I know that she can only be bred with another Pterodactyl... I just don't know what to do...???

ah ha!

this is wrong on so many levels that I am stumped for moment- a fork in the conversational road has been reached.

to educate or cut my losses?

Me: Well, try looking up "Pterodactyl Breeders " and see if there are any breeders there. Make sure you spell it the right way--- starts with a "T". Good luck!

DC: Okay,Thanks- bye bye!

Me: Bye bye